Tag: Andre Fabre

French 1000 Guineas Preview

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Ervedya had originally been aimed at the Newmarket 1000 Guineas but the Aga Khan’s filly was re-routed to Longchamp in search of softer ground. The move looks likely to pay off with good to soft conditions prevailing on Sunday as she bids to win the French equivalent for His Highness The Aga Khan.

The daughter of Siyouni has won four of her six starts and was a top class two-year-old.  She won her first three races including a Group 3 at Deauville before finishing third to The Wow Signal in the Group 1 Prix Morny.

She then finished runner-up to Found in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac but connections are convinced that she would have been closer but for her wide draw. She was on the outside of the twelve-runner field and had to be chased up by Christophe Soumillon to get a good position. The effort may have taken its toll in the closing stages as she finished two and a half lengths adrift of the O’Brien filly.

Ironically, she has drawn exactly the same stall on Sunday although she does have two horses on her outside. She made her seasonal debut in very soft ground at Maisons-Laffitte in April where she beat Ameenah by a length and three-quarters. The runner-up is well drawn in stall five so has place claims but it is difficult to see her reversing the form with the favourite.

Andre Fabre is represented by Mexican Gold and Soft Drink. The former looks much the more dangerous of the pair and is a by Medaglia d’Oro out of a Gone West mare. She is unbeaten after two races including a Group 3 at Longchamp and breaks from stall nine.

Sainte Amarante has won her last two starts including a Listed race at Saint-cloud while Fontanelice was seven lengths behind Ervedya in April. She was also behind Mexican Gold when fourth last time out, doing all of her best work in the closing stages. Connections of the favourite would obviously feel happier if she were drawn in a single figure barrier but Soumillon’s experience should hold him in good stead.

The British and Irish challenge has surprisingly evaporated with Irish Rookie and Royal Razalma looking unlikely to feature here.

Ervedya @15-8 William Hill

French 2000 Guineas Preview

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Aidan O’Brien saddled Gleneagles to win the English 2000 Guineas and attempts to add the French equivalent on Sunday at Longchamp with Highland Reel.

Highland Reel was a late switch to Paris having been as short as 8-1 in the ante-post betting at Newmarket. He won his maiden by 12 lengths at Gowran Park to earn a tilt at the Group 2 Vintage Stakes at Goodwood. Joseph O’Brien was in the saddle that day and he beat Tupi convincingly despite pulling hard in the early stages of the race. Ryan Moore takes over on Sunday and looks sure to play a leading role from stall 7.

Stable companion War Envoy would not be out of it if he can reproduce his fine run in the Grand Criterium in October. He was only a length behind Gleneagles that day in fifth place and the race also included Guineas runner-up Territories. However, he has not shown that level of form since and was soundly beaten behind Kool Kompany in a modest looking renewal of the Craven Stakes.

Charles Hills will have been left frustrated after Greenham Stakes winner Muhaarar was drawn in stall 18. He beat subsequent Guineas flop Estidhkaar at Newbury, although third home Ivawood ran creditably to sneak into the frame in the colts’ classic.

Frankie Dettori partners Karar in the colours of Al Shaqab racing, a six lengths maiden winner before finishing second to Territories here last month. That form has been boosted by the winner’s subsequent run at Newmarket and Karar has plenty of scope for improvement.

Andre Fabre is responsible for Territories and he saddles Make Believe and New Bay here. The latter is lightly raced but looks to have been given a tough task from stall 16.  Make Believe is by 2000 Guineas winner Mafki out of a mare by Suave Dancer and ran a sound race on his reappearance in the Prix Djebel.

He travelled comfortably just behind the lead for most of the race and was just beaten on the nod by Ride Like The Wind. That horse disappointed at Newmarket but Make Believe left the clear impression that he would come on a lot for the race. Olivier Peslier is ideally situated in stall four and should be able to get a nice lead before going for home at the furlong pole.

Make Believe @9-2 Betfair

Zipping Classic Preview

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The last of the Melbourne Spring Carnival features take place at Sandown on Saturday including the $350,000 Group 2 Zipping Classic.

The race is named after the horse that dominated this race between 2007 and 2010, winning for four consecutive seasons for owner Lloyd Williams. His colours could be carried by three horses this weekend including Melbourne Cup disappointment Fawkner.

The seven-year-old had gone into the big race in fine form after being narrowly beaten by Adelaide in a blanket finish to the Cox Plate. That followed a game win in the Caulfield Stakes and connections were optimistic of a big run at Flemington. Fawkner failed to pick up in the home straight and faded into tenth place.

He could be joined by 2012 Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon who returns after a virus foiled his chance for a repeat victory. Sea Moon may also make the line-up for which entries were re-opened after only 13 were declared.

They include another Melbourne Cup runner in Andre Fabre’s Au Revoir. He was priced at 70-1 for the big race but he ran reasonably well considering his wide draw. He moved up quite comfortably to the leaders on the home turn before his effort petered out to finish eighth. His best form is all at a mile and a half so it may simply have been a combination of having to use too much early speed and failing to see out the trip. He will join Peter Moody after this race and be aimed at next month’s Hong Kong Vase.

Au Revoir races in the colours of OTI racing and will be joined in the field by Andrew Balding’s Lord Van Percy. Andrew Balding’s stayer was denied a last-ditch attempt to qualify for Flemington when lameness ruled him out of the Lexus Stakes on Derby Day. He is reported to be fully recovered and will try to improve on his fifth place in the Herbert Power Stakes last month.

Prince Of Penzance could not quite get the better of Le Roi in Saturday’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes but may be asked to turn out again by trainer Darren Weir. Moonee Valley Cup fourth Epingle and SA Derby runner-up Scratchy Bottom are also among the entries along with the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig-trained Spillway.  He ran a good race when fourth to Happy Trails in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes last time.

Au Revoir @Bet365

Newmarket Friday Preview

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I was quite surprised to discover that the rain had changed the going to good to soft at Newmarket on Thursday. I had spent the day in sweltering heat in Scotland and had not even given a thought to the possibility of a going change.

There is more rain forecast for the south on Friday so it may well be worth noting down some soft ground specialists just in case. I had reviewed the Falmouth Stakes yesterday and gone for Rizeena to follow up her Royal Ascot victory. She has run on soft ground before without a problem, although it may test her stamina. If the rain continues to fall, you could easily see Purr putting in a good performance for Johnny Murtagh’s stable.

I’m keeping faith with hat-trick seeking Etaab in the opener. She looks like a filly who does just enough to win and could be up to defying a 6lbs rise. William Haggas seems to have mastered the knack of placing his horses correctly and she should give us a good run for our money. I could not see any particular preference for soft going among her rivals so it could become something of a lottery if it is genuinely soft.

Andre Fabre pays one of his rare visits to these shores for the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at 2.10. I have no idea why there is such a poor turnout for this Group 2 race, especially when there were 21 runners in the Queen Mary. We have had some odd turnouts this season with some extremely poor Group races and a mockery of an Irish Derby at the Curragh. I can only assume that Fabre’s High Celebrity has frightened them all away.

She bolted up over seven furlongs on her debut, winning with embarrassing ease. This could possibly be an early sighter from Fabre to see if she could be a Cheveley Park/Guineas filly in the making. Aidan O’Brien’s I Am Beautiful only scrambled home last time and High Celebrity has to be the selection.

The six furlong handicap looks virtually impossible, even more so when you factor in the state of the ground. I am more interested in the maiden race featuring Obsidian and Razor Wind. Obsidian chased home the smart Kings Fete at Sandown but those that finished behind look moderate. Almerzem ran a shocking race earlier in the week while Karraar has had numerous opportunities.

I am therefore siding with Razor Wind who was an eye-catching third at Windsor behind Igider. Kleo (second) and Wakea (fourth) have both won nicely since and it was clearly an above average maiden.

1.40 Etaab at 5-1 Paddy Power

2.10 High Celebrity at 5-6 Bet365

2.40 Rizeena at 5-1 William Hill

4.25 Razor Wind